Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The previous made objections to the Specification and Drawings have been withdrawn in with the amendments.
The previous made 112 rejections have been withdrawn in with of the amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 2-4, 6-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Narla US 2022/0352722.
2. A load control hub, comprising:
a communication interface (ie 350, FIG4 and/or associated communication circuit @ 300) via which the load control hub communicates with an ESS (energy storage system) (ESS read on by 110, FIG4 and associated BESS 150 and Solar 160, FIG3);
a relay interface (400 excluding the microprocessor, see [0057, 0062]) via which the load control hub communicates with a plurality of relays (relays of 320, FIG4 and [0063]); and
a microprocessor (see [0058]) configured to:
determine that a load associated with a relay is to be isolated; and
transmit, via the relay interface, a signal to the relay that causes the relay to isolate the load (see [0062]).
3. The load control hub recited in claim 2, wherein the relay is coupled to a breaker (see breakers with relays of FIG6, [0063]).
4. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the relay comprises a current sensor (520, [0061]).
6. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the relay comprises a digitizer (read on by analog-to-digital circuit, see [0062]).
7. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the load control hub communicates with the ESS via PLC (Power Line Communications) (see [0066]).
8. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the load control hub communicates with the plurality of relays via a serial interface (read on by communication to said relays via the load panel controller 400 serial interface RS-232 to said relays (see @ [0066] and FIG4).
9. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of relays are individually addressable (see [0057], “individually addressable” read by “a load panel controller 400 configured to actuate the one or more load breakers 320 to selectively disconnect any one of electrical loads…”
10. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the load control hub communicates with the plurality of relays via a CAN (Controller Area Network (See [0066]).
11. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the load control hub comprises a WiFi server (see 350, FIG4) that is configured to communicate with a smart breaker (see Wifi communication explicitly taught @ [0066]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Narla US 2022/0352722 in view of Wang et al. US 2025/0007283.
Narla teaches use of relays however fails to teach the number of poles of said relay comprising:
5. The load control hub system recited in claim 2, wherein the relay comprises a one or two pole relay.
Wang teaches a load control hub comprising controllable 2-pole relays to control load(s), see Spec @ [0030].
It would have been obvious to incorporate the 2-pole relay as taught by Wang into the system of Narla to realize the otherwise generically disclosed relay in Narla with the motivation of a 2-pole relay provides benefits like improved safety by simultaneously disconnecting both live and neutral wires, enhanced control through independent operation of two circuits, increased reliability, and space savings on a printed circuit board (PCB) compared to two separate single-pole relays. It offers a more robust and versatile power control solution for heavy-duty appliances and industrial machinery.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL CAVALLARI whose telephone number is (571)272-8541. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 0900-18:30.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571)272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL CAVALLARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836